Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool magazine and a tool changer.
Discussion of the Background
Tool storage magazines (hereinafter, referred to as tool magazines) are known for storing tools (e.g. a plurality of cutting tools, such as drill bits, reamers, taps, and mills), when the tools are not in use, while keeping the tools accessible to be used in the tool spindle of a machining center when required. The tools are typically stored in tool pots which are configured to each releasably hold a single tool. When a particular tool is needed, the tool pot holding the desired tool is brought to a tool change location. A tool changer will then remove the desired tool from the tool pot, and if another tool is already in the spindle, it will simultaneously be removed by the tool changer and placed into the tool pot from which the desired tool has just been removed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,215, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S60-123241, and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. S60-078240 each disclose the conventional technique relating to the invention.